Ecuador and Galapagos.
Galapagos Adventure Cruise - Athala

Athala: North-Central Islands

Discover some of the Galapagos’ incredible flora and fauna diversity on this north-central island tour, traveling aboard the elegant Athala, a luxurious16 passenger yacht. This 11-day tour covers what you might expect in a traditional Galapagos adventure plus more: let our expert naturalist guide teach you about how individual species and plants evolved or adapted over time as you motor down mangroves in search of turtles and rays, hike through dry interiors and encounter boobies and penguins and summit to once-active volcanoes amid lava bombs and splatter cones!

North-Central Islands Days 1-2: Quito

Start your Galapagos adventure with a guided, half-day tour of the colonial city of Quito, a World Heritage Site. Visit busy plazas, ornate churches and rich museums and then take the afternoon and evening to explore on your own terms, stopping off at the fascinating shops, pubs and restaurants. Overnights are at the charming boutique hotel of Casa Aliso, located in the fashionable La Floresta neighborhood.

North-Central Islands - Days 3-4: Santa Cruz / Bartolome / Santiago

A short flight brings you to the vibrant waters and lands of the Galapagos. After meeting your naturalist guide and settling in on the Athala, it’s time to make your first stop at Black Turtle Cove on Santa Cruz and its series of lush mangroves, watching for turtles, sharks and rays. On the young island of Bartolome, climb stairs that lead to the summit of a once-active volcano, stopping to look at lava bombs and splatter and cinder cones. Splash ashore on Santiago Island and hike through the dry interior, keeping your eyes out for hawks, doves and finches before reaching the opposite coastline –one of the few places in the Galapagos to spot fur seals basking on the black lava rocks. Overnights are aboard the luxury Athala, our spacious 16 passenger yacht.

Head off to explore the neighboring islands of Isabela and Fernandina: hike the volcanic landscape of Volcan Darwin; kayak in search of boobies, iguanas, penguins and pelicans; snorkel amongst sea turtles and colorful fish species; and watch for whales at Punta Albemarle, a place that was once used as a WW2 radar base. A stop off at Santa Cruz brings you to the Charles Darwin Research Station to observe tortoise corrals and new hatchlings and meet scientists, and take a 4X4 for a journey into the green highlands for more tortoise-watching. Overnights are aboard the Athala,.

North-Central Islands - Days 8 - 9: Genovese / Santa Cruz

The next two days bring you to Genovese, a remote place that’s home to millions of birds, and back to Santa Cruz. Hike to a plateau teeming with avian life, including boobies, doves, mockingbirds and petrels; sink your toes into the white-sand beaches of Darwin Bay (or snorkel amongst harmless sharks, rays and turtles); journey to an interior lagoon to spy flamingos; and then visit the home base of repatriated iguanas, once part of the Darwin Station’s breeding program. Overnights are aboard the Athala.

North-Central Islands - Day 10: Quito / Departure

An afternoon flight takes you back to Quito airport where you will remain for international connections later this evening. Or extend you stay in Ecuador to explore Andean highland villages or the deep Amazon rainforest!